Memorial Hall. Please Touch Museum, Philadelphia

Memorial Hall is a Beaux-Arts-style edifice situated within the Centennial District of West Fairmount Park. Initially constructed to serve as the art gallery for the 1876 Centennial Exposition, it stands as the sole significant structure from that event to have endured over time. Subsequently, it housed the Pennsylvania Museum of Industrial Art, now known as the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Since October 18, 2008, Memorial Hall has been the home of the Please Touch Museum. This historic site earned National Historic Landmark status in 1976.

Designed by Herman J. Schwarzman, Memorial Hall represents an early instance of monumental Beaux-Arts architecture in the United States. The construction cost amounted to $1.5 million and was notable for its fireproof design, devoid of wood, a pioneering concept for its era. Its exterior boasts a granite finish, while the interior is adorned with marble and decorative plasterwork.

The building reaches a height of 150 feet, featuring a distinctive iron and glass dome at its pinnacle. Crowning the dome is a 23-foot-tall statue of Columbia, a poetic symbol of the United States, clutching a laurel branch. Positioned at the dome's corners are four statues symbolizing industry, commerce, agriculture, and mining. Memorial Hall served as the inspiration for the Reichstag building in Berlin.

The Please Touch Museum, located within the Centennial District of Philadelphia, is a children's museum with a focus on interactive exhibits and special events primarily designed for children aged seven and younger. Founded in 1976 at the Academy of Natural Sciences, the museum moved in 1978. In 2005, it obtained an 80-year lease for Memorial Hall, the last structure from the 1876 Centennial Exposition. After renovations, it reopened in 2008 with an expanded facility, more exhibits, and the famous "Big" Walking Piano. Great for families with kids!